Beauty and Boredom

New Zealand, the young American
Woman visiting, one summer, said,
Is just like a beautiful woman

Who’s boring to talk to. I want
Something more harsh and adventurous.
Well. That was a long time ago now,

And that young American is now
Moving into middle age, and life
Has given her a taste of the harsh.

These days, she’s living in the desert.
You think of her, one boring morning,
Overlooking the beautiful lake.

It’s a third country. Let’s say this one
Has its own understanding of when
To be harsh, adventurous, boring,

And beautiful, a bit different
From the USA or New Zealand.
The days here at the moment are slow,

And the weather is repetitive—
Beautiful and boring, then. It’s not
Some unfortunate contradiction.

The boring brings the beautiful in,
Blossoming. Beauty’s just a postcard,
Quick postings for the adventuresome,

A backdrop for the harsher human
Way of being vigorous with things,
But it moves forward with attention.

Absorb the boring, and everything,
Foreground and background, even human,
Can be beautiful, like this morning.